Posts by SPJNCFOI

For immediate release Contact: SPJ NorCal FOI Committee at spjnorcalfoi@gmail.com Some state and local entities in California have stopped responding to requests made under the Public Records Act amid changes to operations due to the COVID-19 health emergency. SPJ NorCal, along with the First Amendment Coalition and numerous other advocacy groups, issued a joint statement on March…

The First Amendment Coalition and 10 other advocacy organizations, including SPJ NorCal, called on the California judiciary today to recognize the public’s First Amendment right of access to court proceedings during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Courts across California are halting proceedings, restricting access to buildings and holding some hearings telephonically, raising concerns that members of the…

For immediate release Contact: SPJ NorCal FOI Committee at spjnorcalfoi@gmail.com In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, some government agencies in California have announced that they intend to stop responding to California Public Records Act requests until the crisis passes. There is no legal basis for this extraordinary step. The California Public Records Act, Gov. Code §…

Dear friends: The Society of Professional Journalists Northern California chapter has decided to postpone its annual James Madison Freedom of Information Awards dinner, which is organized by SPJ NorCal’s Freedom of Information Committee to honor organizations and individuals who have championed free speech and government transparency in the preceding year, due to public health concerns…

For immediate release Contact: SPJ NorCal FOI Committee at spjnorcalfoi@gmail.com CLICK HERE FOR TICKET INFORMATION SPJ NorCal is pleased to welcome Lowell Bergman, Emeritus Reva and David Logan Distinguished Chair in Investigative Journalism at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism, as a featured speaker at this month’s 35th annual James Madison Freedom of Information awards dinner. Bergman’s illustrious…